Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~ACKGROUND OF ~HE INVENTION
Field of the Invention:
_ _ _
The present invention relates to a slide fastener and
more particularly to a fastener stringer having a row of
successively interconnected coupling element scoops woven into
a longitudinal edge of a stringer tape during the weaving
thereof by a needle loom.
Prior Art:
Slide fastener stringers of the type described are
generally divided into two categories, one comprising a coiled
plastic monofilament woven into a longitudinal edge of a woven
stringer tape as the tape is woven, and the other compxising
a preformed coupling element assembly which is woven into a
longitudinal tape edge during the course of weaving of a stringer
tape, the coupling element assembly consisting of a row of
discrete coupling elements interconnected by embedded connecting
threads.
The first-mentioned stringers have been proven less
applicable to use on articles that are expected to meet se~ere
pulls.
The second known stringer employ connecting threads
having a smooth surface that fails to provide a required degree
of bonding strength so that interconnected coupling elements
are liable to be accidentally displaced ro~ a proper positional
relationship with ~ach other. Another problem with the stringer
is that the connecting threads, which are made rigid enough for
secure attachment of the coupling elements to a stringr tape
are not stretchable sufficiently to allow for smooth engagement
and disengagement between opposed rows of coupling elements.
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U. S. Patent 3~328~857, issued July 4~ 1967 to Burbank
discloses another and somewhat more successful stringer compris-
ing a series of spaced individual coupling elements connected
by a pair of cords, one along each side of the stringer and
having secured thereto the legs of the coupling element.
Alternate sections of each cord in the spaces between coupling
elements are covered with plastic, with those sections on one
side of fastener being staggered with respect to the covered
sections on the cord on the other slde of the fastener, to
thereby seek to provide the stringer with a desired degree of
flexibility. However, the cord covered with plastic serves to
reinforce the plastic sections and makes the coupling element
row less flexible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
slide lastener stringer having a woven coupling element that is
fastened securely in place.
~ nother object of the invention is to provide a slide
fastener stringex with desired flexibilit~ which enables smooth
threading of a slider.
According to the invention, a slide fastener stringer
comprises a woven stringer tape formed with waxp threads and a
weft thread, and an elongate coupling element woven into a
longitudinal edge of the tape, the element having a plurality
of first and second connecting portions interconnecting a plur-
ality of laterally spaced scoops of the element. Each of the
first connecting portions extends between adjacent two of first
legs of the scoops which is disposed at one side of the tape
while each of the second connecting portions extends between
adjacent two of second legs of the scoops disposed at the other
side of the tape, the first connecting portlons being staggered
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relative to the second connecting portions. Each o the leg~
is reduced in width pr~gressively in a directi~n from a coup].ing
head of one of scoops to the distal end thereof.
Many other advantages, features and additional objects
of the present invention will become manifest to ~hose versed
in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and
the accompanying drawings in which the preferred structural embodi-
ments incorporating the principles of the present invention are
shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWI~GS
FIG. 1 is a fragmental plan view of a slide fastener
having a pair of mating stringers constructed in accordance
with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II - II
of FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of an elong~te
coupling element of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentaryplan view of the elongate coupling
element;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V - V
I of FIG. 4;
¦ FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the coupling element
¦ shown in FIG. 4;
¦ FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coupling
¦ element as it is spread before being bent into a U shape;
FIG. 8 is a frasmentary perspective view of a modified
coupling element of the invention;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a slide
fastener stringer including the coupling element shown in FIG. 8
as woven into a woven stringer tape; and
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FIGS. 10 and 11 are fragmentary cross-sectional views o
different embodiments of slide ~astener stringers o~ the inven-
tion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The principles of the present invention are particularly
useful when embodied in a slide fastener stringer such as
schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, generally indicated by
the numeral 20~
The fastener stringer 20 essentially comprises a woven
stringer tape 21 and an elongate coupling element 22 mounted
on and along a longitudinal edge of the tape 21. The stringer
tape 21 is composed of a plurality of warp threads 23 and a
single weft thread 24 interwoven with the warp threads 23,
t~e weft thread 24 having a plurality of loops 25 disposed
along the longitudinal edge of the tape 21.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, the elongate coupling
element 22 of synthetic resin has a plurality o~ scoops 26
extending weftwise or transversely of the tape 21 and spaced
laterally from each other in the longitudinal direction o~ the
tape 21. Each scoop 26 has a substantially U-shaped cross section
and includes a coupLing head 27 and a pair of first and second
legs or-upper and lower legs 28,29 extending from the coupling
head 27 in a com~on direction. The coupling head 27 is dimension-
ed to releasably couple with a corresponding head of a scoop 26
on a mating stringer to open and close the fastener in the well
known manner. The first and second legs 28 and 29 are spaced
apart in substantially superimposed relation to each other and
contacting together at respective distal ends 30,30, each leg
being tapered off as viewed from the plane or reducéd in width
progressively in a direction from the coupling head tv the
distal end.
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6~
The coupling element 22 further has a plurality o~ ~irst
connecting portions 31 and a plurality of second connecting
portions 32, the first and second connecting portions 31,32
be~ng structurally identical with one another and extending
transversely of the scoops 26 in longitudinal alignment with
each other as viewed from the general plane of the stringer 20.
Each of the first connecting portions 31 extends between adjacent
two of the first or upper legs 28 while each of the second
connecting portions 32 extends between adjacent two of the second
or lower legs 29, the first connecting portions 31 being
staggered with respect to the second connecting portions 32.
As is understood from FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6, the connect
ing portions 31,32 each have a thickness smaller than the
thickness of one of he legs 28,29 to define together with
respective sidewalls 33 of adjacent two of the legs 28 or 29
a recess 34 for receiving therein the loops 25 of the weft
thread 24 when the coupling element 22 i5 woven into the longi-
tudinal edge of the stringer tape 21. As shown in FIG. 4, each
connecting portion 31,32 is trapezoidal in contour and comprises
a pair of laterally spaced xibs 35,36 extending parallel to one
another, each rlb 35,36 having a substantially semi-circular
cross section. One of the ribs 35 which is located remotely from
the coupling h~ad 27 is longer than the other 36 and is more
susceptible of collapsing ar bending than the shorter rib 36
when the stringer 20 is bent transversely in one dire.ction. As
illustrated by phantom line in FIG. 4, the connecting portions
31,32 thus constructed allow the coupling element 22 to bent
arcuately away ~rom the coupliny element 22 of a mating stringer
20 (FIGS. 1 and 2~ in conformity with the Y-shaped guide channel
of a slider 37 (shown by phantom lines in ~IG. 2) when the
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stringer 20,20 are engaged and disengaged by the slider 37 to
open and close the fastener, resulting in smooth threading
of ~he coupling elements 22 into and out of the slider guide
channel.
: The coupling elemen~ 22 of synthetic resin is continuously
produced on an injection molding machine tnot shown) and prior
to being bent into a U shape ready for attachment to the
stringer tape 21, has a zigzag or meandering structure as shown
in FIG. 7. The coupling element 22 includes a plurality of
laterally spaced scoops 26 each having the coupling head 27 and
a pair of first and second legs 28~29 extending from the ~oupling
head in opposite directions. The first connecting portions 31
extend between alternate pairs of the first legs 28 and the
second connecting portions 31 extend between alternate pairs of
the second legs 29, the ~irst connecting portions 31 being
staggered relative to the second connecting portions 32. The
coupling eleme~t22 shown in FIG. 7 is folded on itself about
a longitudinal axis 38 until the first ~nd second legs 28,29 are
brought into contacting engagement wi~h each other at respective
distal ends 30,30 thereof. The distal ends 30,30 then may be
joined by being i~tegrally used together or bonded together
~y an adhesive.
The coupling el~me~t 22 thus formed is then mounted on
and along the longitudinal edge of the stringer tape 21 as ~he
latter is woYen on a needle loom. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
the loops 25 o the weft thread 24 e~tend around the co~necting
portions 31,32 and are xec~ived in the recesses 34 in ~he coupli~g
element 22 so that they are prevent2d from ~rictlonally en~agin~
the guide surfaces o~ the slîd~r 37, otherwi~e the ~eft thread
l~ops 25 would beco~e frayed or broken away a~ ~reque~t sliding
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movement of the slider 37~ A wedge-like configuration of the
legs 28,29 tapered off toward respecti~e distal ends 30,30 is
advantageous in that the weft thread loops 25 extend convergently
into the stringer tape 21 along the opposite sidewalls 33,33
of the respective legs 28,29 and hence pull the respective
scoops 26 toward the stringer tape 21, with the result that the
coupling element 22 is stably retained in position on the stringer
tape against displacement.
FIGS. 8 and 9 show another modification in which a fastener
stringer 40 likewise compxises a woven stringer tape 41 formed
with a plurality of warp threads 42 and a weft thread 43 and,
a coupling element 44 mounted on a longitudinal edge of the
tape 41. The coupling element 44 has a plurality of scoops 45
(only two of them shown in FIG. 8) each .including a coupling
head 46 and a pair of first and second legs 47,48. A connecting
portion 49 extending between the first or second legs 47 or 48
comprises a substantially flat rectangular plate 50 around which
loops 51 of the weft thread 43 extend for attachment the coupling
element 44 to the tape 41.
According to still another modification shown in FIG. 10,
a scoop 53 has a coupling head 54 and a pair of legs 55,56,
each of the legs ha~ing a groove 57 extending transversely
thereof. A pair of binding warp threads 58 is disposed in the
grooves 57 in the legs 55,56, respectively and each extend
through weft thread loops 59 which extend around the respective
connecting portions 60. Another mod~fied slide fastener
stringer 61 illustrated in FIG. 11 comprises a stuffer warp 62
extending through loops 63 of a weft thread 64 of a stringer
tape 65 and disposed between ~ach pair of first and second legs
66,67 of one scoop 68 of a coupling element 69O
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~ Although various minor modifications mighk be suggested
¦ by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we
¦ wish to embody within the scope o~ the patent warranted hereon,
all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the
scope of our contribution to the art.
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